When the Dalton baseball team topped Collegiate, 2-1, April 10 it was more than just a victory.

It signified a boost of confidence for the entire roster, like a surge of electricity was shot through the entire club. After winning just two games a year ago in league play with a new coach and team filled with underclassmen, then dropping the league opener to Hackley, 11-2, Dalton finally felt like it belonged.

“We had to win that Collegiate game,” said staff ace Josh Jacobvitz, who struck out 14 in a dominant complete-game effort. “We ran sprints after that game like we always do and everybody was happy and laughing. Everybody was confident after that.”

They’ve made believers out of the rest of the league ever since.

Dalton has won six straight since the Collegiate victory, including wins over Trinity, Fieldston and Hackley. The Tigers are all alone in second place, just a game in the loss column behind Ivy powerhouse Poly Prep. They have a shot to take over the league lead with a win over the Blue Demons, winners of 57 straight Ivy contests and three division titles in a row, on Monday in Bay Ridge.

Ross’ neophytes have succeeded on the strength of strong starting pitching. The three top starters – Jacobvitz, Adam Dunn, and Nick Scholz – have ERA’s under 1.49, impressive considering the triumvirate are all juniors. Jacobvitz, who also plays first base when he is not pitching, is the hardest thrower of the three, a right-hander with a fastball in the low 80’s and devastatingly hard slider.

Dunn is a soft-tossing left-hander who works the corners well and mixes speed like the high-school version of Jamie Moyer. Dunn went the distance in Friday’s 8-4 win over Collegiate despite nursing a stomach flu that caused him to vomit before the first pitch and Scholz, a right-hander, beat third-place Fieldston.

“They are going to go on the hill and give you everything they got,” second-year coach Nick Ross said. “Pitching is key in high school baseball. You can get on a roll with two good pitchers and ride them pretty long. That’s what we are doing.”

The differences between last spring and this one are stark. The team has received additions from the successful JV program, catcher and third-hitter Eric Kozak is healthy after missing all of last year, and freshman J.D. Askin has plugged the gargantuan-sized hole at shortstop. Junior right fielder Mike Salik, who bats fourth, has upped his average over 100 points, and blasted a walk-off homer against Horace Mann in a 5-4 win April 16.

“We have a lot of confidence. We’re not cocky because we’re not blowing anybody out,” Ross said. “We haven’t proven anything yet. We’ve had a nice season so far. We have to stay on this roll.”

Ross, 30, who played college baseball at SUNY-Purchase, has become comfortable, too, aided by assistants Billy Piela, a former minor leaguer, and Teddy Friedman.

Already, Ross said, this is the best season Dalton has enjoyed in many years. Barring a collapse, the Tigers will qualify for the NYSAISAA tournament, a significant feat. They want an Ivy crown, an accomplishment that hinges on a victory tomorrow.

“I’m excited; I can’t wait,” Jacobvitz said. “We know Poly is beatable. Fieldston had them and kind of blew it. … We have to play all seven innings with them and not give up. I think we have a great shot. I’m confident, my fellow players are confident. I really want this win.”